episode_0047

The first floor of the dungeon was filled with a huge number of traps, just as large as the dungeon itself.

When Amet first planned the dungeon, he knew that it would not be easy to defend against weak monsters. That is why he paid meticulous attention to traps, and as a result, it became a difficult obstacle that even a trained person would have a hard time breaking through.

“What kind of dungeon is this··· Oh my··· It has so many traps···”

“I wonder if there are demons?”

Several hours have passed since entering the dungeon.

Although it was a relatively short time compared to the time they spent wandering through the forest, the knights’ attire was a mess.

The once gleaming heavy armor was now dented and deeply gouged in places.

Even in some parts, the seams were cut off, exposing the flesh as it was.

“I think it would be better to retreat and repair the equipment.”

Unlike the knights, Angela’s attire was neat.

It was partly because there was no need to step forward, but also because I was careful to avoid traps.

On the other hand, the knights were careless because the dungeon was filled with only weak monsters, and they were caught in most of the traps and suffered damage.

Although I was proceeding cautiously, the deeper I went in, the more ingenious the traps became.

“I agree with the saintess’s opinion··· but···”

“Is there a problem?”

Angela, sensing ominousness in the paladin’s tone, looked at him with a worried face.

“I think··· I··· have lost my way.”

“Because there are so many traps···”

It was an expected result.

As I recklessly charged forward, tripping on most of the traps and attacking monsters as I progressed, I didn’t have time to remember the structure of the huge dungeon.

‘This is a big deal. We’ve come in deeper than we thought and there’s no way back out.’

Angela also didn’t know the way.

It was overwhelming just keeping up with the two charging paladins while keeping an eye out for traps.

“Let’s find a place to rest first.”

““Yes!””

The knights responded loudly to Angela’s words, but they too were beginning to feel a sense of foreboding.

A situation where retreat is impossible in a dungeon filled with traps and monsters.

In addition, the equipment that had been the pride of the place was broken here and there.

If they were ordinary adventurers rather than paladins, it wouldn’t have been strange if they were already dead.

I was barely able to survive this far because I was able to use divine magic for defense and recovery like a priest.

But the three of them were keenly aware that there was no guarantee that this would last forever.

“Once you find a safe place, I’ll use recovery magic···”

““Keeek―!””

The three of them couldn’t help but stop and flinch at the creepy sound.

And after a few seconds, even if I didn’t like it, I couldn’t help but know what the sound was.

““Kueu …

““Kkiiik―! Kkigik― ””

A huge number of monsters running through the passage.

A variety of monsters, from goblins to orcs, were showing hostility towards them.

If you look at just a few of them separately, they wouldn’t be that threatening, but when they all came together and attacked at once, their momentum was tremendous.

Of course, it was more like a mess because there was no leadership, but that alone was enough to intimidate the knights.

“What··· What the! Those kids!!”

“Why did you suddenly come rushing in like this!”

The knights hastily raised their shields to block the waves of monsters that were coming their way.

But that was a wrong judgment.

Even for trained humans, it was rare for them to directly engage in a showdown with monsters.

Moreover, it was almost an exaggeration to say that it could withstand the power and weight of not one, but dozens of monsters.

“Protect Wall!”

As Angela’s scream echoed through the hallway, a blinding wall of light separated them from the monsters.

The monsters that rushed in accordingly were crushed by the wall of light.

“Kikigigi―”

“Keueueueu …

Several of the monsters that were crushed by the wall were crushed to death, but that only lasted for a moment.

Most of the surviving monsters glared at Angela and the paladin through the wall between them.

“Run!”

The knights and Angela moved their legs with all their might.

Even if she was the most powerful holy magic user within the sect, it was impossible to maintain it forever.

That’s why I had to keep as much distance as possible.

“Kkieeeekeeeek―!”

“Over there!”

We escaped the swarm of monsters, but that didn’t mean the monsters in the passage disappeared.

They chose a path with as few monsters as possible and moved forward.

‘If we get cornered by several of them like we were a little while ago, it’s over. We have to get to a place where they can’t chase us!’

The knight who was leading the way and cutting down the goblins felt his survival instincts sounding the warning light.

In a normal dungeon, there would only be a few monsters wandering around.

But this place was different.

The monsters, pushing forward with numbers as if someone was commanding and strategizing, were the epitome of terror.

“Ah···! This is the entrance we came in from! Just go a little further!!”

“We have to get out quickly before those guys catch up!”

As they wandered around the dungeon avoiding monsters, what appeared before their eyes was the same scenery as the entrance they came from.

But Angela felt a subtle sense of discomfort.

It had already been several hours since they entered the dungeon, but at most they had only been hurriedly wandering around for a few dozen minutes.

“Okay··· Wait···”

Angela’s judgment was correct.

Even if you were lucky enough to follow the correct path, it was still nearly impossible to get out.

But the hope given in the dire situation instantly took away the knights’ ability to make decisions.

The knights heard her voice, but moved their legs as if they wanted to leave.

Click! Click!

For a moment, the three of them felt as if the blood in their bodies had run cold.

The floor I was standing on moved downwards without giving me time to react.

And I felt my body falling due to gravity.

“Eeee···! What··· What!”

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

“Calm down!”

Fortunately, what awaited them was not a sharp, body-piercing trap.

All I felt was the sensation of rolling down into some dark place.

After a while of banging their bodies against the rough stones, the paladins could feel their bodies falling again.

“Ugh··· ”

“Damn it···! This damn dungeon···!”

The place they fell was a relatively ordinary-looking empty space.

It wasn’t much different from a normal cave, but the experience of falling into it told me that it was deep inside a dungeon.

“Fortunately, it seems like there are no injuries”

“But what about the saintess?”

After checking their physical condition, the two looked around.

Angela was lying not far from them, as if she had fallen into the same space.

“Saint!”

“Did you faint? ”

Angela had fainted, perhaps because she had been hit in a bad place.

After making sure she didn’t have any major injuries, they noticed that she didn’t even have any minor scratches, despite having been bumped into here and there.

“Even while falling, you cast a protective spell on us.”

“I think so···”

They both breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that Angela was safe.

“Whew··· I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Still, I think it would be better to get out of here quickly.”

“Let’s rest a little and then go out.”

The knights sank to the floor and tried to rest.

But the sound of trudging footsteps reached their ears.

“Did you like the trap?”

It was an orc that appeared with the sound of footsteps.

An orc in a very strange outfit.

Wearing heavy armor that looked like something you’d roll around in a dungeon, he spoke human language perfectly and surprised them.

“Orc···speaking···?”

“This··· Is this··· A dream···?”

“You must have run into things here and there, but you shouldn’t escape reality to this extent.”

Reborn as an orc named Croton, he slowly raised his weapon.

What he held in his hand was a sledgehammer with a sinister aura.

There wasn’t any blood on it yet, but he was smiling as if it would be soon.

“Wo… Do you know who we are!”

“If you touch us, the knights who serve Hedon, you will···”

Croton pointed at Angela with a cold expression.

“I don’t have any business with you guys. Of course, I have some value as a scarecrow. I’m interested in that side.”

It was humiliating treatment.

Everyone looked up to the knights of the Hedon Order.

But the orc in front of me was acting as if none of that was a problem.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I will cut off your head as God wills!”

“There are so many monsters that can speak! We’ll kill them with our swords!”

The knights showed their anger, but did not rush in right away.

Their mana was so depleted that they could no longer use divine magic.

Besides, the orc in front of me had a strange aura.

“Fortunately, you guys are pretty weak for a paladin, so hurry up and attack. Your current state is perfect for practice.”

Croton laughed at them for their pride and shame.